NFU’s response to COOL repeal

National Farmers Union (NFU) president Roger Johnson issued the following statement in response to renewed efforts by opponents of Country-of-origin labeling (COOL) to repeal the consumer labeling requirements…

"The World Trade Organization's report on COOL's compliance with trade obligations has reportedly been transmitted to the US government but not yet been made available to the public. Despite that fact, the multinational meatpackers and the US Chamber of Commerce are pushing to repeal COOL without knowing the full findings of the WTO compliance study. Urging Congress to repeal COOL laws before the WTO report is issued is another attempt to prevent consumers from having access to basic information about their food.

NFU eagerly awaits the WTO report and will recommend a response if necessary. Consumers have a right to know where their food comes from and our family farmer and rancher members agree. The WTO has already ruled that the US COOL law is acceptable. There are many policy or regulatory options – if any are needed – that can be adopted in order to comply, although NFU feels the current COOL regulations are WTO-compliant."